Annual General Meeting, September 2021
On September 25th, 2021, we gathered online for our Annual General Meeting, featuring a
conversation titled, “From Knowing to Doing: Working with Indigenous Partners to End the Criminalization of Indigenous Women, Trans, Non-Binary, and Two Spirit People”.
The conversation was hosted by Toni Sinclair, vice-president of CAEFS’ board of directors
and executive director of Elizabeth Fry Northern Alberta. Joining her in conversation was: Jocelyn Formsma, Executive Director, National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC); Raha Ravasian, Project Manager, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada; Melanie Omeniho, President, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak; Alison Bray, Harm Reduction – Community Education Coordinator, Ontario Aboriginal
HIV AIDS Strategy (OAHAS).
This conversation was prompted by our desire to act. As Toni articulated in her introduction to the
conversation: “We all know the statistics about the overrepresentation and over criminalization of Indigenous people and we all know the reports – now what do we need to do?”. Given that CAEFS is dedicated to working towards abolition, the growing number of women and gender diverse people – and especially Indigenous women – pushes us to recognize that we continue to have work to do. As an organization that is not Indigenous led, we must align ourselves with Indigenous organizations, people, and leaders to be effective in our work and think carefully about our role.
This conversation was a critical step in moving us forward in developing meaningful partnerships and prompting us to think differently.
